ELMONT, N.Y. - A pair of 3-year-olds returning from long layoffs, a European shipper now in the hands of Bobby Frankel, and an unsettled forecast make for an interesting feature Friday afternoon at Belmont Park.
The seven-furlong allowance, for 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, features the return of once-promising 3-year-olds D'Coach and Onthedeanslist.
VANCOUVER, B.C. - Pedro Alvarado, who is on his way to his first riding title in just his second season of riding at Hastings Park, has clearly found a home in Vancouver.
Alvarado, a 37-year-old from Mexico, counts himself fortunate, because a home was exactly what he needed when he landed here early last year after riding out a six-month contract in Macau, an island off the south China coast.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Everything went according to plan at Louisiana Downs during its summer meet that ended Sunday, even though a new group unexpectedly signed on to buy the track in August.
A pre-meet decision to overpay purses before slots are installed next year improved the quality of racing and increased business figures, as officials had hoped. An added perk came when Harrah's Entertainment, one of the nation's leading gambling entities, agreed to buy controlling interest in Louisiana Downs.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Tenpins may eventually be recognized as a force in the national handicap division, but more recently his fame has come because of mouthwash.
All set to return from a summer layoff designed to enhance the last third of his 4-year-old season, Tenpins missed the Sept. 14 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park when, shortly before the race, he was seen receiving a benign oral spray used to clear a horse's airway. Kentucky racing rules prohibit the administration of any medication within four hours of a race, and Turfway stewards scratched Tenpins.
POMONA, Calif. - Reba's Gold and Hot Market are 119-pound co-highweights for the $100,000 Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap on Sunday. Trainer Craig Lewis said Hot Market may run instead in a sprint next month at Bay Meadows, but Reba's Gold is a confirmed starter, according to trainer Dan Hendricks. Reba's Gold has won five races and $353,212 from 25 starts. Third behind Congaree in his most recent start at Del Mar, Reba's Gold will race Sunday on a five-eighths-mile track for the first time.
Four $50,000 stakes are part of Friday's card at The Meadowlands, which features the $350,000 Pegasus Handicap for 3-year-olds.
The $50,000 Long Look, a 1 1/16-mile dirt race for fillies and mares, failed to draw a sufficient number of runners and was eliminated from the card.
One of the stronger undercard stakes is the Matt Scudder for 3-year-old sprinters.
Six entered the six-furlong race. The main contenders, Second Collection and Our Wildcat, last ran in the Bergen Stakes at The Meadowlands on Sept. 7.
PHOENIX - Turf Paradise on Friday will begin its 169-day meet that runs through May 18, but there remains controversy about the licensing of the current ownership, as embattled former track owner Jerry Sims, who sold his majority interest in the track's managing general partnership to his brother, Los Angeles real estate investor Ronald Simms, continues his lawsuit against the state in an attempt to regain his license.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - A horse for the course. How often has that phrase been heard after a race is run?
If Miss Blue Bayou wins Friday's Bay Meadows feature, the horse-for-the-course angle again will be brought up.
Miss Blue Bayou has made eight starts at Bay Meadows with five wins and one third.
Her last start came on Sept. 6, when she set a moderate pace and won a $20,000 claimer.
Check Him Out will go for his second Derby win in the Grade 2, $117,000 PCQHRA Breeders Derby on Friday night at Los Alamitos.
The second-fastest qualifier, Check Him Out defeated seven other eventual Derby finalists in his trial victory, in which he covered 400 yards in 19.85 seconds and defeated third-fastest qualifier Miami Cartel. In a rare event, eight horses qualified for the finals from this trial on Sept. 14, with only two runners qualifying from the other trial.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Ardell Sayler is poised to win his third consecutive training title as the 2002 Assiniboia meet heads into its final weekend.
Sayler's 38 wins place him seven ahead of Wendy Anderson and Emile Corbel with three days of racing remaining.
Anderson, whose record currently stands at 31 wins from 146 starts, is one of several trainers who have had solid seasons in 2002.